Norwell seeks seeks to expedite fixing of fire station roof

Thursday

Aug 10, 2017 at 1:16 AMAug 10, 2017 at 1:20 AM

By Bryan Bowman

NORWELL – Town Administrator Peter Morin will ask the state Division of Capital Asset Management for an emergency procurement authorization so the leaking fire station roof can be repaired as quickly as possible.

Leaks resulting from severe rot have caused damage to the station’s interior and led to the growth of mold, Morin told the selectmen Wednesday night.

“We’ve got more than just a couple of leaks here,” Fire Chief Andy Reardon said. “Our roof, the entire structure ... is in desperate condition. The insulation, ceiling tiles and the roof itself need to addressed.”

Morin said a go-ahead from the state would enable the town to “expedite the process.” If the town had to go through the lengthy standard procurement process, the station might have to be closed temporarily, which would create “a public risk,” he said.

He said the town has received an estimate of what it would cost to repair the roof and do other corrective work at the station: $162,000.

Morin also said he plans to ask the town’s advisory board to transfer money from the town’s reserve fund to pay for the project. If the transfer is approved, a vote to replenish the reserve fund will be needed at town meeting in December, he said.

The roof problems were slated to be addressed in the town’s fiscal 2019 budget, but officials believe that the roof has deteriorated so much that it needs to be fixed immediately.

All of the selectmen expressed support for moving the project forward. Selectmen Jason Brown, Ellen Allen and Gregg McBride also expressed frustration that the project didn’t receive funding earlier.

“It should have been done, but it wasn’t approved, and now it’s an acute situation,” McBride said. “This is the inevitable outcome of putting things off until we can’t anymore. That’s where we are right now.”